Additional Rules
Battlefleet Gothic

Diligence, Reprise and Falchion Class
Imperial Light Cruisers


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Diligence Class Light Cruiser

In the ashes of the Horus Heresy, the ravaged Imperium needed a new kind of capital ship that was relatively simple to construct and did not require a large expenditure of resources to deploy and maintain. Because it was important to quickly bring the fleet rolls back up to strength, a cruiser notably smaller, faster and more agile than those more typical of the capital ships of the past began to take form in the slipways of the vast shipyards of Mars. These light cruisers were eminently successful in long-range patrols or when used in pairs on reconnaissance missions in contested systems, where their increased speed and agility did much to make up for their lack of suitable firepower against other capital ships. The Diligence light cruiser was the first of the newer-pattern light cruisers to see service in the Emperor's fleets, and they took many forms as the design was refined and duplicated by forge worlds throughout the Imperium, quickly replacing nearly all of the few remaining older Siluria cruisers that were quickly nearing the end of their useful service lives. Recycling many of the old rows of gun batteries used by their forebears, these ships carried the same weapons fit as the ships they replaced but were equipped with an improved thruster design that enabled these ships to accelerate faster and sustain longer high-speed runs to pursue and intercept enemy contacts.

The remarkable quantity of excess power available to these vessels made them a natural candidate for extensive upgrades and design variants, and the design became the direct precursor of the vaunted Dauntless class. Very few of these ships still remain in their original form, but those that do use their sizable batteries to great advantage in support of larger vessels or acting in defense against enemy escort forays against a positioned gun line. Those few that have been retained have proven invaluable against increasing forays into the sector by pirates and occasional raids by what have been tentatively identified as the Dark Eldar. The Reprise in particular served with distinction intercepting pirates near the Baume system before being lost with all hands in 741.M40. Their hardiness under fire became renowned throughout the Imperium, and even when pulled from frontline service, those ships of this venerable class still retaining sound hulls had most of their batteries and primary engines removed for re-use on other vessels. The resulting deck voids were then opened up to serve as vast holds as these ships were converted into deep-space heavy carracks , serving mankind to the last with distinction, particularly in the heavily-contested Elaysion Sector and other regions along the border of the Obscuras and Tempestus Segmentae.

The Diligence class has proven to be a remarkable light cruiser and has been the subject of numerous variants and special refits. One extremely successful special weapon system first tested on this type is the Fleet Defense Turret. Only a very small number of Diligence light cruisers received this refit because of the immense power requirements of this weapon system, but those that were equipped became indispensable escort leaders and fleet defense vessels, commonly paired up with Retribution or Apocalypse battleships to create a nearly unbreachable defense grid against enemy ordnance.

Name Type/Hits Speed Turns Shields Armour Turrets Points
Diligence Light Cruiser Cruiser/6 25 cm 90o 1 5+ 2 110 Points

Armament Range/Speed Firepower/Strength Fire Arc
Port Weapons Battery 30 cm 8 Left
Starboard Weapons Battery 30 cm 8 Right

Notes:
Diligence light cruisers use engines providing improved thrust; they move +5D6 cm on All Ahead Full special orders. The Resolute and Diligence reduce their broadside weapon batteries to firepower 6 and replace their local defenses with Fleet Defense Turrets, which function as normal turrets but can be used to protect itself or any one ship within 15cm per turn.

Famous Ships:
Adrienne, Resolute, Diligence, Endurance

Reprise Class Light Cruiser

One of the first major variants of the ubiquitous Diligence template was undertaken by the Magos Pontifar Avarex in 481.M37, coupling and redirecting the laser cores of the broadside gun batteries to energize a lance array significantly powerful for a vessel of its displacement. Though only several dozen examples of this type were ever produced, the technological innovations developed were later utilized in designing the relatively new Firestorm frigate template. The increased power requirements of the powerful lance array placed notable restrictions on the design, and it was found to be slower than other vessels of similar displacement, though it was able to keep up in most situations. Another serious shortcoming of the design was that its turret grid was severely constrained by the power drain imposed by the primary weapon system, imposing additional concerns on accompanying fleet elements. However, when paired with one or two Diligence light cruisers from which it was derived, it proved to be a very formidable adversary.

Name Type/Hits Speed Turns Shields Armour Turrets Points
Reprise Light Cruiser Cruiser/6 25 cm 90o 1 5+ 1 120 Points

Armament Range/Speed Firepower/Strength Fire Arc
Port Lance Battery 30 cm 3 Left
Starboard Lance Battery 30 cm 3 Right

Famous Ships:
Vigilance, Agamemnon

Falchion Class Light Cruiser

Inspired by the designs of the Gareox Prerogative design, these through-deck light cruisers are intended as system control ships. This ship type was produced in only very limited numbers, for though it provided a relatively inexpensive method of bringing to bear large waves of attack craft, Imperial commanders have found this type to be effective against pirates but, like many Prerogative designs, to be less successful in fleet actions without dedicated support from escort ships.

Despite its shortcomings, individual vessels of this type proved to be highly successful against raiders when serving on patrols and accompanied with minimal escort, and the Protector served with distinction during the closing years of the Gothic War, in action cleansing the Orar sector of Ork pirates that had taken advantage of the conflict to prey on lightly-escorted merchant shipping. The Tempest in particular scored several notable successes while on extended reconnaissance patrol in the Tyr system using its attack craft brilliantly in this role, but even more importantly provided vital intelligence that allowed Imperial forces massing at Ryza the greater part of a year to prepare for imminent invasion from Waagh Fleet Gorbag before it was lost in heroic action against two Kill Kroozers while attempting to refuel and rearm its beleaguered attack craft wing in 994.M41.

Name Type/Hits Speed Turns Shields Armour Turrets Points
Falchion Light Cruiser Cruiser/6 25 cm 90o 1 5+ 2 130 Points

Armament Range/Speed Firepower/Strength Fire Arc
Port Launch Bays Fury: 30cm
Starhawk: 20cm 		2 Squadrons -
Starboard Launch Bays Fury: 30cm
Starhawk: 20cm 		2 Squadrons -

Notes:
Falchion light cruisers are exceedingly rare vessels. Only one Falchion light cruiser can be used per full 500 fleet points

Famous Ships:
Protector, Tempest

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Date: 24/07/2002
Submitted by: Nate Montes